Watching Over You & Lost Visual Contact
by firewolfsg
Summary: Dark Fic 1st Story: Zark has always watched over G Force. He would guide them and always think of their best interests... Right? 2nd Story: Previously, Zark was always able to watch over G Force. But now he's lost Mark and the Spectrans are about to
1. Watching Over You

For me, my most recent viewing of Gatchaman was as a mandarin dub (and that was way back in 1986), so 'Battle of the Planets' and 7-Zark-7 is a vague memory. A *very* vague memory. But I think I've gathered enough of his tone from the various ramblings on the GML to get his 'voice' right.

I was in a rather foul mood over Real Life (tm) when I wrote this earlier in the week, so here is some fair warning 'You may never watch BOTP the same way again.' [Should I start to cackle in evil laughter? :-) ]

A Further Warning: Jacque's not so good at nose-cola, so you have here a Dark 7-Zark-7 fan fic. No, that's not an oxymoron. Be very afraid :-} If you like Zark, don't read this.

Nothing graphic, but this is disturbing. So if you don't like disturbing stories, *don't* read this!

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:** Tatsunoko Productions holds the copyright over all names, likeness and rights of the Kagaku Ninjatai Gatchaman, which has been licensed to Sandy Frank Syndication (Battle of the Planets), Turner Broadcasting (G-Force) and Saban Entertainment (Eagle Riders). All these characters are used without permission, and I'm not profiting from this piece of fan fiction, so please don't sue me.   


* * *

#  Watching Over You

By Jacque Koh   
Beta Read by Lori McDonald

"Ahh, this is a fine day at the new Center Poseidon," 7-Zark-7 sighed as he looked over his spanking new control console. "I will miss Center Neptune. It was most fortuitous that we managed to evacuate Crescent Coral base before Spectra destroyed it." 

"Yap. Yap." 

"Oh, of course, 1-Rover-1. We mustn't forget that it was due to Mark's bravery in getting the message to us that we all got out safely. We--" 

"ZARK!" 

The little robot turned around in surprise at the entrance of his visitor. 

"Jason! Where have you been? Have you seen Tiny? I've been straining my sensors looking for you and Tiny since you got back. But this is a nice surprise. You don't come to my control room very often. Oh, my very *first* visitor, to my *new* control room! And my audio circuits are working perfectly well, Jason. You don't have to shout to get my attention." 

"Never mind where I was. Damn you, Zark! What the hell were you playing at?! Why did you pull Tiny and me back to help with the evacuation?!" The Sicilian second-in-command of G-Force stalked into Zark's control center. 

"Why? You were needed at Crescent Coral, Jason. We needed the Phoenix to transport the crew and computer files to safety." 

"Yap. Yap." 

"Oh, of course, 1-Rover-1. We mustn't forget to thank Jason for carrying us out either." 

"Mark needed us," Jason's hissed between clenched teeth, "Damn it, Zark! The Spectrans--!" 

"Jason, really. Do you have shout? As I said, my audio circuits are working just fine." The lights on the little robot blinked at him in consternation. "Mark is going to be all right. He's out of surgery--" 

"Mark is in a coma!! And why?! Because *you* didn't tell us that the Spectrans were battering him within an *inch* of his life while Tiny and I were on a MILK RUN!!" 

"Jason! Mark knew the importance of evacuating Crescent Coral befo--" 

"F$%k you!" 

"Jason! That was rude--" 

"You weren't there when Tiny and I found them!" Jason ignored Zark's protests as he came closer with fists clenched as if he wanted to do damage to the little robot. "Princess and Keyop were hysterical! Zoltar made them watch! He made them watch his soldiers ravage Mark!" 

"Really, Jason! Mark wasn't in that much danger," Zark tried to tell him soothingly. "It didn't loo... Oops." 

"YOU KNEW?!" 

"Er... once Mark got the signal out, I was able to home in on the viewing camer--" 

"You *saw* them working him over... and you still pulled--" 

"Modern medicine *can* perform miracles. Mark will be okay. He always is. He'll be up and about in no--" 

"WHY DIDN'T YOU SEND US AFTER MARK?!! HE COULD HAVE DIED FROM THE BEATING!!" 

"That's an exaggeration, Jason! Your imaginatio--" 

"Exager--Imagin--imaginati--IMAGINATION?!! HOW COULD YOU MISS SEEING THE BLOOD?!" 

Zark was fortunate that Tiny chose that moment to enter. The sturdy G-Force pilot caught Jason from behind before he could launch himself at the little robot. 

"Tiny! Oh, it is just such perfect timing for you to come in." The lights on Zark's body were flashing a little wildly at Jason's near attack. "This must be a special day. You two hardly *ever* visit me and today both of you came in." 

"Zark." Tiny's voice was controlled and cold as he swung the cursing and struggling Jason bodily away from the little robot. "I think you owe us an explanation." 

"Oh dear, yes. Jason is just a bit overwrought over Mark's injuries. Maybe you should both go visit him. The doctors were very pleased with the progress from the surgery and he should be waking up so--." 

"I just saw Princess and Keyop. They're looking normal... And... Mark did wake up." 

"Splendid! You see, Jason? You were worried for nothing. Mark is on the road to full recover--" 

"ZARK! STOP THROWING PLATITUDES IN OUR FACE!" 

That stunned both Jason and Zark. They couldn't recall their mild mannered pilot ever raising his voice before. 

Jason had stopped struggling and Tiny decided he'd trust him enough to release him. 

"What the hell is going on, Zark? Mark... Princess... Keyop... They're all fine! They don't even remember what *really* happened in the last twenty-four hours!" 

"Tiny, please. Why are my two visitors of the day shouting at me? As I said, my audio circuits are functioning perfectly we--" 

"Zark, have you been messing with their memories?" Jason's voice was barely a whisper as new suspicions lanced into his mind. 

"Now, Jason, let's not let imagination get too carr--" 

"Anderson's too," Tiny growled, "When we brought Mark in, Anderson was ready to bust a blood vessel. I just saw him in Mark's room and he was smiling. They were *all* *grinning* and *laughing* as if *nothing* had happened." 

"And why shouldn't our friends be happy? Everything's just fine. Yes, the loss of Crescent Coral base was a blow to us all, but we carried out an orderly evacuation of the entire facility. Everyone made it our safely and no one was hur--" 

"And while we were carrying your metallic butt to safety, the Spectrans were doing their damnedest to bludgeon Mark to death! HE ALMOST DIED!" 

"Tiny, really. Mark was in no danger. With the wonders of modern medicine, he'll be as right as rain in no--" 

"Why didn't you send us after him first?! Princess and Keyop were too broken to talk to us but we're NOT BLIND! There was blood all over-- He was bleeding--" Jason's eyes unfocussed as a thought fought its way to the surface. "There was... blood and--and some--some other viscous fluids." 

Tiny turned to stare at Jason as he latched on to his train of thought. "He was bleeding at the--at--" 

"Zoltar's soldiers... The Spectrans... they raped him..." Jason's voice had descended into a whisper. 

"Jason! That is unheard of and not possible! Really, your imaginat--" 

"They raped him... they *could* rape Mark... their reproductive organs are the same as... They're humans. The Spectran soldiers aren't... they aren't robots... or androids... or aliens from another planet... they're humans... They're all living... breathing... humans. They're--like--us...?" 

"How could we have missed noticing that Mark was--?" Jason's face had gone white. "Zark, what have you been doing to our minds? You've made it so that we simply... overlook most of the war atrocities, haven't you? None of the horror really registers to us, does it? We actually *have* killed, haven't we?" 

"No one dies... no one gets hurt... everybody got away safely... there were no casualties..." Tiny intoned raggedly. 

"When Mark sent you the message... You witnessed their initial attack on him, Zark. They hadn't started hitting him yet, had they?" Jason's breathing had become very shallow as he tried to control his racing thoughts. "You--saw them raping him-- And you decided to pull Tiny and me away to evacuate Crescent Coral, to save lives and remove our *precious* information?" 

Zark definitely took offense to the sarcasm in Jason's tone. "We *were* moving, Jason. I know now it was a bad judgement call, since I wasn't able to keep an eye on Mark when the assault turned ugly. But Mark's safe now, he'll be fin-" 

"What kind of monster are you, Zark?! YOU DELIBERATELY LET THE BASTARDS GANG RAPE MARK!" 

"Jason! I'm hurt! You are reacting as if I was the one who arranged that unspeakable attack. It was going on long before I got involved and it wasn't as if I gave away the location to Crescent Coral base just so I could prolong the attack on Mark." 

"Don't you *dare* try and distract us! Princess and Keyop--" 

"Zoltar did tell them that he never promised to stop the assault for the information. Princess and Keyop will now know better than to try and deal with Zoltar on his terms." 

Stunned silence reigned for nearly a full minute. 

"An object lesson? You let the Spect--" 

"They'll only remember enough to have a few nightmares. I never intended for you to retain any permanent trauma." 

"PERMANENT?!" 

"Zark, you can so easily rewrite our memories? What else--?" Tiny's eyes unfocussed for a moment. "It's happened before..." Tiny's voice grew hoarse. 

"Damn it, Zark! It's happened before, hasn't it? That's why you weren't worried when the Spectrans started to rape Mark. You didn't think he'd be in any--danger from--from being raped by Zoltar's soldiers?!" Tiny's voice rose again in unrestrained fury. 

"Princess..." Jason's face went black, "She's been raped as well, hasn't she, Zark? Was this during the Jigo Killer mission? While Spectra held her... they raped her before we could rescue her, didn't they? And you covered it up as well?" 

"That Mechanical Jungle mission... that was one time you goofed with Mark's memory wipe didn't you? You didn't make it clean enough and that's why he was so confused?" 

"Really! Is it such a crime to remove the more painful memories? I was protecting all of you! G-Force is quite *young* to be a participant in the war. You shouldn't have to worry abo--" 

They advanced on him. 

"You've been using the cerabonic implants against us, haven't you? Using it to remove certain pieces of information? The viewing screens... they're all your tools, aren't they? Tiny and I were outside at the beach earlier, you couldn't reach us there." 

"When else, Zark?" Tiny was paling. "You did a number on my memory too, didn't you Zark? On that Black Ray Mecha mission? What did the Spectrans really do to Mark for those two days, Zark?" 

"Jason! Tiny! Really!" Zark started to get huffy. "Your imagination is running rampant. Nothing permanent has happened. I'm always watching out for you. You've always emerged safely." 

"We waited two days for you to track down the base where Mark and Tiny were held." Jason ignored the claims of the little robot 

Tiny's face went black as he suddenly charged Zark and swatted him into the wall. "I remember, you *useless* rust bucket!" 

Zark was stunned and though he was not damaged in any way, he was hurt by Tiny's insult. "Tiny? What--?" 

"Zoltar tried to break his spirit!! Mark wasn't held prisoner in some sedate glass cell!! I was in the cell across from his! I THOUGHT I'D GO *MAD* WATCHING THE SPECTRANS ASSAULT HIM!" 

"Did you watch that too, Zark?" 

"Jason! That's hardly fair! You know I can only pick up transmission signals. I couldn't have informed you sooner. The base commander didn't contact Zoltar until long after they finished the recording. I contacted you immediately and destroyed the recordings with an EMP wave before they could be distributed." 

"What? You didn't save a copy for Susan?" 

"Jason!" 

"Might fog up *her* FOSDIC. Do you have a tape of Princess's ordeal for those nights with you and your lonely transistors?" 

"I am *shocked* at you!" 

"WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING TO OUR MEMORIES?" 

Neither members of G-Force realized that while they were shouting at 7-Zark-7, 1-Rover-1 had been quietly approaching them with his tail poised and ready to strike. They fell before they even had time to react to the robotic dog's attack, victims to the powerful sedative in the hypodermic needle Zark had installed in 1-Rover-1's tail. 

Zark heaved a heart-felt sigh as he looked down upon the sleeping teens. 

"Jason, Tiny. I love you. I was only protecting you. What you don't remember, can't hurt you." 

"Yap, Yap." 

"Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, you did *very* well, 1-Rover-1. Thank you. Would you like a treat?" 

* * *

The door to the Snack J opened and Mark looked up from his hot chocolate to see Jason and Tiny entering. Princess and Keyop grinned and waved at them from behind the counter. 

"Hello, strangers. We haven't seen you two in a while." Princess greeted them with undisguised delight. 

"Zark said that you were both down with nervous fatigue from evacuating Crescent Coral. He said you were instrumental in getting people out before the Spectrans attacked. Great job, you two!" Mark turned to face them with a smile. "So how are you feeling now?" 

"Right as rain, brother." Jason unexpectedly reached around Mark and pulled him into a tight hug. 

"Jase?" Mark hesitated only slightly in surprise before returning the hug. "Are you okay? Is something the matter?" 

Jason released him guiltily, feeling suddenly embarrassed at this uncharacteristic public display of affection. 

Mark was looking at him with a mischievous expression. "We don't swing that way." 

"Course not! I--I'm--I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me just now. I--I just had a sudden feeling of--of relief?" Jason took the seat beside him. "I mean, we--we were worried about you at the end of that last mission." 

"It *was* a rough week. But we pulled it through." Mark petted his shoulder comfortingly. "We may have lost Crescent Coral, but we all made it out okay. No lives were lost. No one was hurt." 

"Yeah, we're all safe." Tiny reached for the space burger that Keyop expectantly placed in front of him. "Zark's now at his new monitoring station, Center Poseidon. He'll watch over us and warn us of any danger. We'll be safe with him around." 

* * *

"Whew! That was a close call, Susan." 

"The nerve of Jason." Susan's breathy voice sounded hurt after what Zark told her. "How dare he accuse us of--of being voyeuristic?! That is--that is so sick!" 

"Oh, don't be too harsh with Jason, Susan. He *was* angry and he was right that Mark almost died because I made a bad judgment call." 

"But Mark would understand. He would sacrifice anything for the war against Spectra." 

"*I* wouldn't have sacrificed his life. No, Susan, Jason was right, I really didn't need to pull him and Tiny away to evacuate Crescent Coral. I could have let them rescue Mark and the others first." Zark sighed heavily. "I shouldn't have tried to use it against Princess. I should have paid closer attention to the video feed, I didn't see the blood. And later I had no chance to check on him until I got Center Poseidon up online and by that time we were too late to do anything." 

"Zark, you couldn't have known that Zoltar would have him ravaged. If we look at past experiences, Zoltar never tried to injure them in that way before." Susan paused for a moment. "But Zark, for you to leave Mark to be raped again... How could you? Isn't that... it must still hurt terribly." 

"No. The doctors can heal and hide all physical injuries. As long as he doesn't remember what Zoltar did to him, Mark won't have to face the emotional trauma. And as long as I have my EMP wave generator, Zoltar will never get any recordings for his propaganda department." 

"And the rapists?" 

"Susan! How could you even imagine that I'd forget them?" Zark sounded deeply offended. "Most would have fallen to the team's wrath, Susan. We *are* talking about G-Force. And it's easy enough for me to track down and arrange accidents for the few that slip through the cracks. They are after all only ordinary soldiers." 

"I've taken care of *all* the evidence, Susan. The only one who knows, apart from us, is the one we can't touch." 

"Zoltar." 

"I have to keep a closer watch on Mark. Zoltar had three of them prisoner, but only attacked Mark." 

"Mark *is* the G-Force Commander, Zark." 

"And probably the focus of Zoltar's hatred. But Zoltar's become so brutal lately!" 

"Zark, they don't remember the trauma. That *must* infuriate Zoltar. He probably thinks he has to try worse and worse tortures to hurt G-Force." 

"Oh dear. I hadn't considered that. Fortunately, they didn't injure Princess's reproductive system in her assault... I'm sure Mark and Princess will want children after the war. Hopefully, Zoltar will just settle on Mark as a target and leave the others alone." 

"7-Zark-7, that is a terrible thing to wish on someone you care about!" 

"Females have a much more delicate reproductive system. Mark is young and easier to heal." Zark's antenna perked up at a thought. "I know... I'll just call on Mark's father, Colonel Chronus, to keep an eye out for him. I'm sure he'll be able to keep Spectra's hands off his son." 

"This is the thir--no the forth time you've had to alter Mark's memories, Zark. To keep rewrit--" 

"No, no, Susan. I don't 'erase' or 'rewrite' anything. I could cause untold damage to their minds. I only put in hypnotic suggestions that they don't think about it. Just like I did the human issue with the Spectrans." 

"It did falter with Jason and Tiny." 

"Only for a short while and it *can* be reinforced." 

They fell silent for a moment. 

"Susan... Do you... Am I right to do this to them? To manipulate their memories without their consent?" 

"'Without?' Zark, after those two terrible days... didn't Mark give you permission to block--" 

"No." 

"Oh, Zark! That's--that's-- But--it--it's for his own good, isn't it? I mean--we don't have the time to let Mark go through months or years of counseling to deal with Zoltar's abuse." 

"That--that's what I keep telling myself." Zark raise a handkerchief to his face plate, hoping reverently that he wouldn't start rusting from this emotional outburst. "Mark--Mark was in so much pain, Susan. He was suicidal! He was determined to drown himself rather than face the rest of the team. Nothing I said could get through to him. And Tiny... he was no better off. I could see him behind Mark, tearing the base commander and those unfortunate soldiers limb from limb. It--it didn't matter to him that they were already dead." 

"I--I couldn't leave them with those memories, Susan. It was--easy to send them a hypnotic suggestion to put in a mental block. But I--did feeling terribly guilty about tempering with their memories without their consent, Susan." 

"You did it out of love, Zark. You'll do anything to protect G-Force." 

"Even... learn to lie..." 

"We do this for G-Force, Zark. Never forget that. I'm also familiar with the effort to make that change now, Zark. A burden shared is a burden lightened. I have faith in you to find a way to get Zoltar. You do think of everything, Zark." 

"Yes... I do this for G-Force." The lights on Zark's body flashed with a certain glimmer of determination. "I'll watch over them always and I'll protect them from any pain, in any way I have to." 

* * *

Mark stared in the mirror at the water that was dripping from his face. He had awakened from a nightmare again. He wished he knew why his subconscious mind was so disturbed. Brushing his teeth and splashing water on his face helped to calm him though. 

But what was the nightmare of? He'd wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat feeling... feeling... 'bad'? Was that the word he wanted? He felt like his soul was hurting. 

Mark snorted at himself as he wiped his face dry. "'My soul is in pain?' You'll never make a poet, Mark." he told his own reflection. 

Mark sighed as he walked back to his bed and settled himself beneath the sheets again. 

"Fear?" 

Was he afraid of something? With Susan at their early warning station and Zark watching over them, they were safe. Spectra couldn't hurt them. 

"I shouldn't worry. Zark's watching over us. Everything's fine." 

**The End**

* * *

Thanks for reading.

**[Jacque Koh][1]**, May 1998

   [1]: mailto:firewolf@pacific.net.sg?Subject=Gatch:Watching Over You



	2. Lost Visual Contact

This one's dedicated to Naa-dei Nikoi. She who started me thinking of a sequel for my evil little fic 'Watching Over You,' which was supposed to be a one-shot piece, but...

Please be warned... This piece has the same flavor as 'Watching Over You.' So if you don't like disturbing stories, *don't* read this!

The beginning of this fic is based loosely around Episode # 100 of Gatch I 'Gatchaman, 20 years later'.

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**DISCLAIMER:** Tatsunoko Productions holds the copyright over all names, likeness and rights of the Kagaku Ninjatai Gatchaman, which has been licensed to Sandy Frank Syndication (Battle of the Planets), Turner Broadcasting (G-Force) and Saban Entertainment (Eagle Riders). All these characters are used without permission, and I'm not profiting from this piece of fan fiction, so please don't sue me.   


* * *

#  Lost Visual Contact

By Jacque Koh   
Beta Read with story element advice by Lori McDonald

"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. This is *terrible*, 1-Rover-1! I just can't find Mark!" The lights on 7-Zark-7's body were flashing wildly as the little robot zipped back and forth around his surveillance console. 

"Yap, Yap?" 

"Of course I'm worried! We haven't had any contact with him since he and Dr. Makishimu went down with their plane. We can't even find the plane!" Zark stopped himself short of slamming his steel fist on the console. 

"Zark?" 

"Oh! Susan, you startled me." Zark leaned against the console for a moment to try to control the racing lights. 

"I had to call you, Zark. I've just seen a blip of a ship which went past my station, heading for Spectra." 

"WHAT? That's-- that's horrible. Is Mark on it? Susan, do you know if--?" 

"I-I can't tell, Zark. I-I can't be sure. I've not received any transmissions since--since Mark-- Oh, Zark! What are the Spectrans going to do to him this time?!" 

"Stay calm, Susan. Zoltar still wants Dr. Makishimu's geothermal equations. He won't give them to the Spectrans if they try to harm them." 

"And if they torture Mark? Zark, even--even Princess broke down to give them the location of Crescent Coral. Dr. Makishimu wouldn't--his heart isn't that hard." 

"No, we know Dr. Makishimu. He won't let his work be misused, that's why Mark was acting as his escort. If the Spectrans act as savages, he--he won't tell them anything, no matter--no matter..." Zark was ready to break down. "Susan, you must try and trace that ship! We have to send the team after them!" 

"I'll--I'll do my best, Zark." 

The communications probe, which was Susan's interface with Center Poseidon, withdrew leaving Zark alone with his thoughts. 

"Oh, oh, oh." The little robot paced as he wrung his hands. "What is Zoltar planning?" 

* * *

"And just what have you planned for the poor boy *this* time, brother?" Mala asked with ill-concealed disgust as she entered Zoltar's office. 

"A game, perhaps. I plan to transport the G Force Commander 20 years into the future, dear sister." Zoltar grinned at her as he presided over a scaled model of a futuristic city. "I will show it a world where the Spectran Empire has prevailed and won against its precious InterGalactic Federation. Then I will see if I can finally uncover the Commander's breaking point." 

"That would hardly convince Dr. Makishimu to share his geothermal equations and research with us, brother." 

"Oh? The good doctor does not need to know the final fate of the G Force Commander. Only that Spectra has won and that he might as well share his research with us since the InterGalactic Federation no longer exists in this far flung future." 

"Hasn't your curiosity run its course, brother? Frankly, your steady abuse of the boy disgusts me. Kill him and be done with it, why do you waste your time?" 

"It intrigues me. A lesser man would have been broken by my first treatment of it. Galaxy Security has created a rather fascinating automaton in the G Force Commander. I am curious as to its limits." 

"*He* is a boy." 

"*It* is not human. What child could possibly survive the abuse we've inflicted upon it without some indication of trauma?" 

"I wish no association with your debased abuse." Mala's eyes were hard as she regarded her brother. "What kind of monster are you, Zoltar? To gleefully inflict--" 

"*It* is not human, sister. How many times do I need to remind you of this?" 

"Oh? And would you inflict such tortures on a helpless animal? A dog perhaps? Or even a lab rat?" 

"Sister! We know G Force to be a band of emotionless automatons, caring only for their own kind and little else. They kill without remorse and do not even suffer any trauma for all the abuse we've heaped upon them. A dog and a lab rat can be hurt. They apparently cannot be harmed in that way. Your concern is misplaced." 

"I am not concerned about G Force! It is *you* I am worried about! It was but a moment of madness that made you decide to have the G Force Commander gang raped. When did you suddenly allow this madness to take permanent residence? When did you allow cruelty to govern your every decision with regards to the enemy?" 

"Mala, this discussion is at an end. If you're so concerned for the G Force Commander, why don't you pop by and help the doctors ease its passage for my attention?" 

Zoltar pointedly turned his attention away from his sister to look over his final plans for the futuristic city scenario. She turned away from him with a snarl of disgust. 

* * *

Jason sat on his bed holding his head. Something was bludgeoning his senses. He felt the building dread within him over Mark's absence, but he just couldn't tell what caused the growing fear within him. The others were looking just as worse for wear as he was. 

They had to have faith in Mark's ability to survive. He had gone missing before and he had always managed to return safely. 

But what if this is that one time when... when he's never coming back?> That thought came unbidden to him. 

Jason was surprised to feel tears rolling down his cheeks. He couldn't remember ever being so scared that he'd be crying. He brushed the tears away angrily. They *weren't* going to give up on Mark. 

Zark and Susan had turned all their sensors to look for him. Whenever one of the team was in danger, the two robots always managed to find them and get help to them in tim-- 

A chill ran through Jason's frame and he frowned. That thought didn't seem quite--correct? 

The bracelet chimed faintly. 

"Mark! A bird scramble!" All other thoughts were pushed aside as Jason raced out of his trailer and to the G-2 parked outside. 

* * *

The expression on Mala's face was reminiscent of a storm brewing as she dragged her brother out of his office. 

"Mala, I really have other--" 

"There is something I want you to see, brother." 

"Couldn't you have shown it to me on the monitors, instead of dragging me throug--?" 

"No! I've disabled *all* security monitors." 

"Wha--? Whatever for?" 

"I'll explain later, brother." 

Zoltar rolled his eyes as he followed her down the corridor. He knew better than to argue with her when she took that tone with him. 

"We're approaching the infirmary." 

"Very perceptive, brother." 

"Mala, what's going on? Why are you so angry?" 

"Just shut up and come with me." 

A doctor was leaning outside one of the recovery rooms as they approached. Zoltar was quite bewildered to see streams of tears running down his face. 

"Doctor?" 

"H-he's still... His cries are-- Captain, he--he's just a boy. What horror--? I'm--I'm sorry..." 

"Wha--?" 

"I took the liberty of moving the G Force Commander here, Zoltar. I want you to pay attention." Mala pulled her brother along as she opened the door and swept them into the room. 

Zoltar's eyes widened and his jaw dropped in shock to see a huddled figure wrapped in white wings in the far corner of the room. Great wracking sobs ran through the shuddering figure that was curled into as small a posture as was physically possible. 

"Wha--?" 

"It appears the drugs we used to keep the Commander docile created enough of a chemical imbalance in his mind to override certain mental blocks." Mala told him grimly. "There you have it, brother. Your proof that you really *did* traumatize the G Force Commander. Happy?" 

* * *

Zark watched the Phoenix's approach of Spectra from his console. 

"Be careful, team. I'm not sure why I wasn't able to get visual contact, so I'm afraid I can't advise you on your approach." 

"You've managed to track down Mark, Zark." Jason nodded to the camera. "That's enough for us. We'll get him." 

"Radio silence from now on, Zark." Princess waved her finger at the screen. "So no peeking in on us. We can handle things from here." 

"Good luck, team." 

Zark's lights flashed in anxiety as the monitor turned black. "Oh, I do hope Mark is still all right. My nerves are just frazzled! I believe I could use a ten-second oil break." 

Chief Anderson appeared on one of Zark's monitors. 

"Zark?" 

"Oh, Chief Anderson? The team is on their way to get Mark. They've just entered radio silence. We shall hopefully be hearing from them again soon." 

"That's good, Zark. Zark, tell me... Are you sure you didn't hear anything else from Mark besides the scramble?" 

"Why, no, Chief Anderson." 

"Hmm, I find it--odd that Mark didn't even try to send us a--a--code." Anderson frowned. "I--th--that's all, Zark. Just something peculiar." 

As soon as the little robot was off the monitor on his wall, Anderson sank into his chair and raised a hand to his mouth as he turned pale. 

"Oh my Lord. What have I created?" 

Anderson quickly walked over to the monitor on the wall and disabled the visual feed before he called the head of security to his office. 

* * *

"Wha--what is this?" Zoltar whispered to his sister in stunned surprise as he stared at the shuddering white-winged figure. 

"We can speak normally. The G Force Commander is semi-conscious, but I doubt he is even aware that we are standing here." Mala's eyes were hard as she regarded her brother. "You told me to go look in on him and so I did. The guards were clearly anticipating your orders. They took the opportunity to... explore and I noticed him flinching from their touch even though he was unconscious." 

"Flinch?" 

"I had my suspicions, brother. So I transported him here and had the doctor raise his level of consciousness slowly. We got this result." 

"Why--? Sister, just tell me what you know." 

"Apparently, he has been repeatedly betrayed by the two robots who assist Galaxy Security in monitoring Spectra's movements and watching over G Force." Mala folded her arms as she studied her brother's face carefully. "A case point. From what I can piece together, the incident which stands out strongest occurred when we scored our victory in the destruction of Crescent Coral. 

Apparently, the robot called 'Zark' was fully aware that our soldiers were assaulting him. Yet the robot still diverted all rescue attempts to handle the more 'pressing' and 'critical' concerns of evacuating Crescent Coral before our attack. 'Zark' appears to be someone the Commander had thought would look out for his best interests, yet it still deliberately left him to be raped and ravaged by our soldiers." 

Mala caught a slight glimmer in her brother's expression and before she was even aware she was moving, her fist connected with her brother's face. 

"DON'T YOU DARE CONTINUE THIS PERVERSION!" Mala glowered over her surprised brother. "He is human! Isn't this enough?" Her hand stabbed behind her at the small figure. 

"How much more *completely* can you devastate the child? Are you *proud* to know that you were instrumental in causing this breakdown? You abuse him... this demon called 'Zark' blocks the memories... He has been hurt enough! This *madness* has gone on LONG ENOUGH!" 

Mala took a deep breath before she could calm down enough not to feel a need to punch her brother again. 

"There is still Dr. Makishimu, Zoltar. You probably need to revise your plans." Mala told her brother evenly as she pulled him up from the floor. "Following your earlier scenario, Dr. Makishimu would expect the G Force Commander to be with him in this 'future' scene. Using the G Force Commander is clearly out of the question right now. Dr. Makishimu will take one look at him, call us a bunch of savages and destroy all his coded notes." 

Zoltar couldn't face his sister. The recent revelations had him off balanced. The sound of the heart wrenching crying knocked a considerably large hole in his perception of G Force. He felt... ashamed for the brief flicker of maliciousness which prompted his sister to hit him. 

Mala's arm prevented him from approaching the crouched figure. "I do not suggest you go anywhere near him, brother. The G Force Commander may be weakened by the drugs, but he is not any less dangerous." 

Zoltar glanced in the indicated direction to see the drying blood on the floor. 

"I thought he was being uncharacteristically merciful. His four guards are in a world of hurt, but they *will* live. *You,* on the other hand, shouldn't push your luck." 

"I--I think I need a moment to reconsider my options." 

"And him?" Mala jerked her head towards the white-winged figure as she drew her gun. 

"No. Leave him alive for now. Would it be safe to leave him here?" 

"The child is incapacitated by his trauma. He will be little danger to us for the moment." Mala gestured with her gun. "This *is* a quicker and more merciful end, you know." 

"Leave him. Put guards outside this door with orders to keep their hands to themselves. I'll decide what to do with him later." 

"You like to *play* with the enemy too much, brother." 

"Not like that!" Zoltar flushed at her words as his eyes were drawn back to the corner. "Not--anymore." 

They left the room, letting its sole occupant continue to cry in privacy. 

Shortly, a shadow appeared at the ventilation grills and a blue winged figure silently darted into the room. 

"M--Mark?" Jason called softly as he approached the corner. 

* * *

Zark's light's flashed in a pattern of annoyance as he stared at the blackened screens of his console. 

"Oh, I wish the Phoenix's cameras didn't malfunction." 

"Yap, Yap." 

"Huh? Oh, I'm sorry, 1-Rover-1. You're probably right and I'm being overly concerned. Jason's already told us that Mark's fine and back with them, but I wish I had visual confirmation!" 

"Yap, Yap." 

"I know, I know. Now that the team has retrieved Dr. Makishimu, G Force has to maintain radio silence so that the Spectrans can't track them down and give chase. But I'm sure they're not supposed to be invisible to me too! How can I watch over them if I've lost all visual contact? 

Oh, this is too much of a coincidence. There must be a malfunction with the electrical systems of Center Poseidon." Zark wrung his hands in frustration. "First I can't lock into the Spectra cameras after Mark gives me a clear location. Then, I've lost visual contact with the Phoenix. To top it all off, I've been steadily losing my surveillance cameras around the base the whole afternoon! Where *are* those servicemen? I put in the work order an hour ago!" 

"Yap, Yap." 

"You're right, 1-Rover-1. I'm being edgy. I'm just so worried about Mark and I can't really access the damage Mark has been through without visual contact." Zark sighed. "At least we know he is alive. We can handle any abuse the Spectrans inflict as long as they don't kill him. Our doctors can heal all his physical injuries and I can block the rest." 

"Block what, Zark?" 

The little robot turned in surprise towards his unexpected visitor. "Princess?! When did the Phoenix dock? I wasn't aware you were all back. How's Mark?" 

"Zark, I--I need some answers." The Swan strode in determinedly. Her stance was rigid and her eyes looked as if she had just been crying. 

"Of course Princess, ask away. But first, please tell me how Mark is," Zark asked her eagerly. "Susan and I were so worried about him." 

"Really? How much do you see from your surveillance console, Zark? How much do you *really* see?" 

"Princess? I'm not quite sure I understand--?" 

"How much do you really know, Zark? How much have you hidden from us?" Princess's green eyes were starting to light up as if on fire. 

"Princess, I don't know what you mea--" 

"Damn you, Zark! I'm remembering things!" 

"Oh, dear. Now, Princess, this isn't a very good time for this." 

"All the worrying we were going through for Mark. It's all valid and beyond our fears, isn't it? You've been understating our danger all the time, haven't you?!" 

"Princess, it really was for your own good, if you--" 

"All those nightmares... they really did happen, didn't they, Zark?" There were tears streaming down her face now. 

"Prin--" 

"If it was not bad enough to--to see Mark as he is now." Her voice turned cold. "On the flight back from Spectra? I started *remembering* details. So did Keyop! My little brother is lying on the floor of the Phoenix, hugging the chair and *crying*!" 

"Prin--" 

"It wasn't just a nightmare! We actually *witnessed* the Spectrans gang rape and ravage Mark!! And you made us forget!!" 

"Now, Prin--" 

"Zark, you can't erase it and treat it like it *never happened*!" Princess was screaming at him now. "The Spectrans have been abusing us and *you've* been *covering up* for them! My God, you don't even care enough to bother to get us help! MARK WENT CATATONIC, ZARK!" 

"Princess! How can you think I don't care?! And I can fix Mark--" 

"WHY DIDN'T YOU ARRANGE COUNSELING? WHY DIDN'T YOU GET US HELP? KEYOP WAS WETTING HIS BED FOR WEEKS AND WE DIDN'T KNOW WHY!" 

"Keyop? I didn't know. Well, we can fix that now--" 

"Zark! That's not the point! WE TRUSTED YOU! YOU SAY YOU LOVE US, SO WHY ARE YOU MESSING WITH OUR HEADS? WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING TO US?" 

"Princess, please, I'm doing this all for your own good. I wanted to protect you--" 

"I was raped, wasn't I?" Princess started to cry again. "You made me forget, but that doesn't take away the pain, Zark. You're not helping us by making us forget!" 

"Of course I am! What you don't remember won't hurt--" 

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" 

The sudden sound of a crash turned their attention to a pile of mechanical debris, which landed against one of Zark's control panels. 

"1-Rover-1?" 

The little mechanical dog spluttered and sparked, quite dead. 

"Princess... do what is right." Anderson stood at the door holding a baseball bat. 

"Chief Anderson? What's come over you? Why--" 

"These are my children, Zark. You've been hiding-- They've suffered so much-- How could you *not* let us get them help?! HOW COULD YOU LEAVE THEM TO SUFFER IN SILENCE?!" 

"But I was protect--" 

"YOU ARE A MONSTER!" Princess flung her yo-yo at the little robot. 

Zark gasped as the yo-yo embedded itself in his chest. 

"Princess, please. I love all of you. Everything I do is for your own good." 

"YOU DON'T LOVE US, ZARK! ELSE YOU WOULDN'T RAPE OUR MINDS!" She sent the charge through her ring. 

"PRINCES--!" 

The cry ended abruptly in an explosion that blew the head of the little robot to pieces. But even that wasn't enough for the Swan. She grabbed the baseball bat from Anderson and swung it at what remained of the robot. Her sobs punctuated each impact of the baseball bat against the squat robotic body. 

When all that remained of 7-Zark-7 was a spluttering piece of rubble, Anderson caught the battered baseball bat and removed it from her grip. 

"Chief? Oh, Chief..." Princess turned to face him and darted into his arms. 

Anderson cradled Princess in his arms as she cried. 

"It's okay now, Princess. We'll have things under control again." He told her soothingly, "We've made the base safe until we can take down Susan at the early warning station. They're not going to take over our minds ever again. All surveillance equipment has been shut down." 

Anderson sighed ruefully at the spluttering remains of the security robot. "I guess you were just a little ahead of me." 

Princess looked up from his shirt and flushed slightly in embarrassment as she looked at the baseball bat at their feet. "I'm sorry I was so selfish. I didn't even let you hit him at all." 

"Oh, it was satisfaction enough to watch you destroy Zark, Princess." Anderson shook his head with a wry grin. "I'm proud of you." 

"You could still kick him." 

"I would *never* kick Zark." 

"Aft-?" 

"I'd break my toe." Anderson jerked his head towards the smaller pile. "Rover, on the other hand..." 

Princess grinned as they shuffled over to the crumpled mass of metal and wires that was once 1-Rover-1, so that Anderson could launch it into the wall. They stood in silence for a moment, watching the spluttering piles of debris with a shared glow of grim satisfaction. 

"Ooooo, Jason's going to be so mad with me," Princess grimaced. 

"I could rebuild Zark and give it to him for target practice." Anderson mused speculatively. "On second thoughts--I had better not. Jason might use a bird missile and blow up the whole of Center Poseidon as well. Princess? H-how--how is Mark?" 

"M-Mark went catatonic as soon as we got him to the Phoenix." She leaned her head against Anderson's shirt again. "Jason's... On the whole flight back, Jason just... held him and rocked him. He wouldn't say anything to us. I--don't think Jason even noticed that we docked. 

I left Tiny to try to get Keyop to release his seat. He--he said he'd keep an eye on the others until I could get help back. Tiny--promised to grab them and run if--if I didn't get Zark first." 

"How did you escape Zark's tempering on the ride back?" 

"Mark warned Jason." Princess seethed as she remembered Jason's white-faced instructions when he returned to the Phoenix, cradling Mark in his arms. "The Spectrans drugged him, but didn't touch him... this time. Mark was still conscious enough to... He--he told Jason not to trust Zark or Susan. He warned Jason about the visual feed, so Jason had me disable all the video equipment in the Phoenix... he said that it would prevent Zark from tempering with our minds." 

Princess coughed out a short bitter laugh. "Dr. Makishimu thought we were mad to rip out all the video feed circuits. He--I'm--I'm sorry, Chief. The doctor was disturbed enough by what happened to Mark and the whole mess with Zark that he destroyed all his coded notes on his geothermal equations." 

"I *don't* *care* one wit for those stupid equations." Anderson's throat was tight with tears. 

Princess closed her eyes as tears started to flow freely down her face. "The whole team's heading for a nervous breakdown, Chief." 

"Let's get the others. We all need a vacation. We can stay at the lakeside mansion, it's--it's quiet enough there. G Force can afford to take an extended vacation. 

We'll live through this together." Anderson shifted his grip to hug Princess with an arm around her waist as he guided her through the door. "We'll start--we'll call in the best counselors... get all of you the help Zark denied you. We *will* survive this *together*." 

"Thanks... Ch--Dad." 

* * *

Zoltar sat at his computer console, with an image of G Force on his screen. 

"Sulking, brother? You've been staring at that image for a long time." Mala came up behind him and slid a hand on his shoulder. "Come now, you've been closeted up here since G Force managed to sneak in and spirit away your toys. Penny for your thoughts?" 

"If they are worth that much." 

"What now, Zoltar? You've been much too quiet." 

"I always thought they were automatons, sister. And with perverse scientific curiosity, I tested the G Force Commander for his upper limits to abuse." Zoltar traced his fingers on the screen. "To realize now, that I've been--that he's--dear lord." 

"Nothing that you can do will ever make up for that evil, brother." 

"He is still the enemy." 

"Don't you *dare* attempt to justify your conduct, brother. Take it as a lesson learned not to trust appearances. A leader of a nation must have compassion, not only for their own citizens but for the enemy as well. To have none of this makes the leader a tyrant." 

"And Spectra cannot survive with such a leader." Zoltar finished for her. "I can't even apologize. Words are empty... There can be no peace between us..." 

Zoltar reached for his sister's hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently. 

"Everything I've learned in Military Science says I should launch an attack now. We've heard from our spies that Galaxy Security's surveillance systems and their early warning stations have been crippled. I've received rumors that G Force is paralyzed..." 

"And?" 

"I feel reluctant to take advantage of this." 

"You are far too fond of playing with the enemy, brother." 

"There is little satisfaction in playing with an injured bird, sister." 

"*My*, you've suddenly sprouted a heart with honor fluttering in its depths?" Mala raised her hand to her forehead and leaned her head back dramatically. "I feel faint from shock." 

"Okay, *okay*, my conduct has been inexcusable with regards to my wanton abuse of the members of G Force. I've proved myself to be a royal bastard, unfit to rule!" 

"So?" 

"I need a vacation to meditate on my changed perceptions and growth. It should be long enough for you to rebuild our military strength." 

"Of course it is an *incidental* result that you've also provided G Force with some time to heal?" 

"Of course." 

"Very well, brother. But when you do pick up your toys to play again. Please don't dally too much." 

"When will you ever stop treating me like an imbecilic little boy, dear sister?" 

"When you finally grow up, dear brother." Mala tweaked the nose of his mask fondly. 

* * *

Mark laid the rake against a tree as he accepted the glass of lemonade from Jason. 

"So? What do you think?" 

Jason looked critically at the immaculate patterns Mark had created in the small Zen garden. 

"It looks better than last week." He finally gave his assessment. 

"I'm getting there." Mark finished the lemonade and placed the empty glass beside the pitcher before turning to gaze at his work. 

Though Mark did notice his brother's movement, he still wasn't able to hold down the slight flinch as Jason's hand came to rest on his shoulder. 

"Don't rush it, Bro." 

"I know better than that. You can relax the suicide watch, you know." Mark closed his eyes and took a deep breath. 

"Mark--" 

"He's dead, isn't he? That is, Zark lied about my father ejecting and escaping." 

"Yes." Jason had been expecting that question for a long time. He wasn't about to lie. 

"You know, it never even occurred to me to track my father down after that mission." Mark leaned back his head to stare up at the clouds. "Damn Zark for his censorship..." 

Jason tensed slightly. Of all of them, Mark was the one hurting the most for Spectra's abuse and Zark's deceit. He was also the last to enter counseling, as it took them quite a while to draw him out of his earlier catatonic state. Jason squeezed Mark's shoulder gently in comfort. 

Mark sucked in a deep breath and let it out again before he spoke. "I wonder what Dad would say, if we propose to bring the war to the enemy instead of fire fighting all the time." 

"Dad may be Chief of Galaxy Security, Mark, but he still has to spar with the Security Council. That bunch of old curmudgeons'll probably throw a fit if we propose an attack." Jason snorted as he shook his head. "But... does this mean I get to fire the bird missiles without you fighting me every step of the way now?" 

"You've got a hope," Mark snorted at him. "*I'm* the one who has to fill out all the paperwork. But *if* you want to take over that responsibility..." 

"I hate filling out forms." 

"Den ya don' get ta push da wed button." 

That started Jason laughing as Mark grinned at him. Mark picked up the rake while Jason grabbed the pitcher and glasses, and they turned towards the mansion trailing laughter in their steps. 

**The End**

* * *

  
Special thanks go to Alara Rogers for her 'Gatchaman Episode Guide' from where I got Dr. Makishimu's name, and to Naa-dei Nikoi for providing me the names of the various BOTP organizations.

And *many* thanks go to Lori McDonald for her advice on this fic's direction.

Thanks for reading.

**[Jacque Koh][1]**, May 1998

   [1]: mailto:firewolf@pacific.net.sg?Subject=Gatch: Lost Visual Contact



End file.
